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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23335042">dirty paws</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlightcanary/pseuds/moonlightcanary'>moonlightcanary</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Leverage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>'i haven't finished the series but this is vague enough of a fic to fit anywhere in the timeline', ...and in more ways than just one ;), Domestic Fluff, F/M, Hardison is here via mention/phone call only but he is still a Presence in this fic, Multi, that's it. this fic is just nearly 1k of fluff, this fic is set during a Limbo of time called</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:54:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>972</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23335042</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlightcanary/pseuds/moonlightcanary</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While Hardison is away at some big tech conference, Eliot wakes up to find an unexpected surprise from Parker.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer, Parker/Eliot Spencer (Leverage)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>83</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>dirty paws</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eliot woke up to a gentle pressure on his chest and breath in his face. </p><p>“Parker,” he grumbled, not bothering to open his eyes. </p><p>This wouldn’t be the first time he had woken up to Parker watching over him. </p><p>The first time he caught her doing it, she had given him a sheepish smile as she said, “you look so peaceful when you’re sleeping.” </p><p>He had long since gotten used to it, and had even grown to take some small comfort in it. </p><p>But this morning was different, in some way that Eliot’s sleep ridden brain couldn’t quite determine. </p><p>Refusing to open his eyes, he moved his hands to gently pry Parker’s off his chest. However when his hands closed around what should’ve been Parker’s wrists, he very distinctly realized it was <em> not </em>Parker. </p><p>He opened his eyes. </p><p>“<em>Parker</em>!” He was louder this time, calling to her from wherever she was in the apartment. </p><p>Seconds later, Parker appeared in the doorway to the bedroom, a smile spreading across her face when she saw Eliot.</p><p>“Oh, good, you’ve met.”</p><p>“<em>Met</em>?” Eliot repeated, staring incredulously from Parker back to the dog standing over him with two paws planted firmly on his chest. “Parker, where did you get a dog?”</p><p>“He followed me home from my jog,” Parker said, with the casual nonchalance that only Parker could have in this situation. “I named him Hardi, with an i.”</p><p>Eliot just stared at her, unsure of what to even say. The dog still hadn’t moved off his chest. </p><p>“He didn’t have a collar or anything, and I checked online for missing dogs matching his description, couldn’t find anything.” </p><p>“Why is he in our bed?” Eliot finally asked, though he had a sinking suspicion he already knew why. </p><p>Parker’s eyes sparkled, and yeah, Eliot knew he was fucked. “Well I couldn’t just <em> leave </em> him out on the streets, hungry and cold.”</p><p>Eliot decided against pointing out that it was the end of March <em>and </em> the weather had been in the sixties for the past week <em> and </em> the dog looked like he had a pretty thick coat. </p><p>“He really enjoyed your pulled pork,” Parker added. “I think he wanted to thank you.” </p><p>Eliot raised an eyebrow, turning his gaze back to the dog, who was still very much standing over him. </p><p>“We can’t keep him,” Eliot tried, though part of him already knew he wasn’t going to win this fight. </p><p>Parker pouted. “Why not?”</p><p>“Well, for one, he could still belong to someone. There could be some kid out there missin’ their best friend.”</p><p>“But he didn’t have a collar or tags. <em> And </em> I checked on a bunch of different forums for missing pets.” </p><p>“Maybe no one’s realized he’s missin’ yet?” </p><p>Parker gave an unhappy grunt, clearly ready to protest this. </p><p>“Still, he could have one of those chips- with the identification on ‘em.” Eliot pointed out, before Parker could go on a rant about neglectful pet-care. </p><p>Parker huffed, clearly not convinced. “And if he doesn’t?”</p><p>Eliot glanced from Parker, to the dog, and then back to Parker; despite the fact that the dog was a dog and Parker was a, well <em> Parker </em>, Eliot could’ve sworn they both had the same pleading look in their eyes. </p><p>“We can’t make this kinda decision without Hardison.” </p><p>A grin broke across Parker’s face as she made a small squeal of excitement. Eliot couldn’t help the small smile that crept across his own face.</p><p>Even the dog seemed to pick up on the excitement, as he finally decided to do something other than just <em> stare </em> at Eliot, and, before Eliot could protest, he got a dog tongue to the face. </p><p>“See! He likes you!” Parker said, laughing a little as Eliot wiped dog slobber off his face. </p><p>“This ain’t a yes, Parker,” Eliot grumbled, though he knew Parker could see right through his tough guy act. “I’m not stealin’ a dog from any kids, we check him for a chip, <em> and </em> we have to talk to Hardison.”</p><p>Parker’s grin didn’t leave her face. Instead, she clapped her hands together excitedly. </p><p>“I’ll steal us a vet appointment—” Eliot gave her a look and she sighed “—<em> fine</em>, I’ll <em> schedule </em> him a vet appointment, like a boring normal person. And then I’ll call Hardison.”</p><p>Eliot sighed, dropping his head back into his pillow. “Parker?”</p><p>She paused, already halfway out the room. “Yeah?”</p><p>“Could you please get the dog off my chest?”</p><p> </p><p>A few hours later, after one long video call with Hardison (how else was Parker supposed to pout if Hardison couldn’t see her face?) in which Parker managed to drag Eliot into helping her convince him that a dog would be a <em> wonderful </em> addition to their little family, they were informed by the vet that Hardi (named after Hardison, of course, because the guy had been gone for three days for some tech conference in California, and Parker was missing him like he had been gone for months) was in fact, a <em> girl </em> dog.</p><p>(“I didn’t want to invade her privacy! I wouldn’t like it if someone I just met looked at <em> my </em> genitalia,” Parker protested.</p><p>“She’s a <em> dog</em>, Parker,” Eliot replied, with an exasperated but loving sigh.) </p><p>But the most important part of the vet trip was discovering if Hardi (Parker insisted the name was sticking no matter what and Eliot wasn’t about to argue) was microchipped or not. </p><p>Up to that point, Eliot hadn’t been entirely convinced having a dog would be a good idea with their lifestyle, especially considering their particular line of work, but after seeing the look of pure joy that overtook Parker when the vet tech confirmed that there was no microchip? </p><p>Well, let’s just say Eliot accepted the fact that he was just gonna have to get used to waking up with a dog standing over him. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>okay i just wanna thank jazz (ao3: silent_h &amp; tumblr: yesokayiknow) for beta reading this fic for me and just completely helping me with proper punctuation and breaking up my sentences. uhh you should totally check them out if you want bc they're just, really great and they make lots of great content and just yeah.</p><p>and now i wanna thank you for reading this, this is my first fic for this fandom (only started watching the show recently) but I think it's safe to say that I will probably at least start some other fics, but who knows if I'll be able to finish them.</p><p>(also i have to say that i personally pictured an australian shepherd as Hardi, but you are welcome to picture whatever kinda dog you want.)</p><p>anyways, rambling over, i hope you enjoyed this fic, kudos and comments are always appreciated &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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